Business and business and when you’re brothers you have to stick together to get business done. Of course, sticking together for business doesn’t always translate to sticking together when you’re family.
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story follows the lives of Bob and Richard Sherman. It goes through their childhoods, teenage years and all the way through 2006 when they meet as old men. In between you get to see their ups (winning Oscars for Mary Poppins) and their low points (leaving Walt Disney Studios shortly after the death of Walt Disney). Much like the other documentaries that Disney had released on November 30th there isn’t many punches pulled when it comes to storytelling. For this story to be told properly you wouldn’t do any justice by pulling those punches.
What’s particularly remarkable about The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story is that between it and the other documentaries released this one seems to be the most thoughtfully put together. You have a solid storyline of the brothers mixed with their successes and failures, and heartbreaks. Each one seems to fit perfectly where it is and each one pushes politely the next plot point in front of it. The documentary also creates perfectly defined main characters. You’ve got Richard who is outgoing and outrageous (even in his older age) and you’ve got Bob who is more reserved and thoughtful/sensitive. The documentary defines them at the beginning and cruises through their lives sticking to the persona it has created for each brother. I’m completely stunned that it could be done so well.
Anyway, the content of what they accomplished and what they went through is very much intact. For example, when you see the two men talking about their first encounter with Walt Disney you see the same excited gleam in their eyes that they had when they probably actually met the man. It’s pretty riveting to watch, which is saying something because these are two old men telling the story. On the flipside of that you get to see their heartbreak when they both recall the last time they spoke to Walt Disney before passing away from cancer. Along the way, you also get to see and hear about their insight into each piece they were involved with. One particular story where they tell about their experience with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and how it was one of their first films outside of the Disney Studios. It was one story of bitterness and at the same time happiness, as they loved working with Albert Broccoli. There are dozen great examples of how these men tell their stories of the events they encountered in their long musical life and how they sometimes failed, but mostly triumphed to keep their careers moving forward.
With all this said, it’s a bit sad to see the men never truly come together as friends. They are open and honest about their relationship as brothers and how teaming up was a bit frustrating at times. It’s also refreshing to see a documentary not sugar coat details and leave all the problems intact. From divorces, to sibling feuding, all the way to the death of Bob’s wife; it’s all in there and open for the public to view.
The only caveat I have with this is the random celebrity insertion into the documentary. For example, Ben Stiller has some screen time, but his overall presence isn’t really needed. Love the man as an actor, but he sticks out like a thorn in this documentary. Jeff and Greg Sherman seem to piece some random interviews together here and there through out the feature, which simply don’t belong. They don’t disrupt the flow of things, but they don’t help either.
Overall, I really thought this was a tragic tale of success and misery, and I loved every minute of it.
Along with the feature, here’s what you’re looking at in terms of special features:
• Why They’re “The Boys”
• Disney Studios in the ’60’s
• Casting Mary Poppins
• The Process
• Theme Parks
• Roy Williams
• Bob’s Art
• Celebration
• Sherman Brothers’ Jukebox—This collection of Sherman Brothers songs
“Tall Paul” “Chim Chim Cher-ee”
“Feed the Birds”
“Gold Can Buy Anything (But Love)”
“There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”
“Jolly Holiday”
“Oh, Gee, Georgie!” (performed by Eddie Cantor, 1924)
“Up, Down and Touch The Ground”
“A Spoonful of Sugar,” performed on the guitar by Laurence Juber
“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
“Ugly Bug Ball” Der Wienerschnitzel Commercial
Out of all the documentaries released on November 30th you get the most valuable special features with this one. You get all sorts of goodies that include casting Mary Poppins, some healthy featurettes on the boys, Bob’s art and you get a collection of the Sherman Brothers’ songs (yes, seriously). Solid and well worth your money.